Method and apparatus for editing media

ABSTRACT

A system for editing a multi-media narrative is provided, including an authoring application for inserting a media element within the multi-media narrative; said authoring application executable within a browser; said media element stored within a cache of said browser, inaccessible to a user of said browser; a database on a server for storage of said media element and said multi-media narrative; and a text to speech converter for converting text input by the user into a media element.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No.60/656,403 filed Feb. 28, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the methods of editing multi-media narratives,such as films, and more particularly, to editing multi-media narrativesstored remotely.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Historically, film editing was completed by hand, and editors wouldliterally cut and splice video and audiotape to form the completedproduct. Now, digital tools are used to complete film products andseveral software products such as AVID are available for such purposes.

These products allow users to select video and audio “media elements”for insertion into a finished multi-media narrative. A media element isa segment of media that can be included in the multi-media narrative,for example a visual media element may include a single take or shot ofan event, or a still photograph. An audio media element may be a singlesound, or maybe a word, or a conversation or music track. Media elementsmay be made of other media elements as well. A film is an example of aselection of visual and audio media elements ordered by the film editorinto a final multi-media narrative.

The software available in the art allows a user to access locally storedmedia, such as video and audio media elements, to manipulate these mediaelements (for example, by shortening them) and selecting the order inwhich the media elements will be represented. Sound media elements maybe added to or used in place of the default sound (if any) associatedwith a visual media element. A “drag and drop” system may be employed toallow users to place media elements in the desired order into thefinished multi-media narrative.

A common lacking in such products is the ability to use media elementsthat are not stored locally. Current solutions use media elements thatarrive with the product, or allow users to download media from theInternet or another source for insertion into the multi-media narrative.This results in loss of control of the media elements, in that the audioand visual media elements are stored on the user's computer, allowingthe user to access such files for other purposes. In these cases theprovider of the media elements loses control of the media elements, andmay find them spread over the Internet or otherwise used in aninappropriate manner.

What is needed is a solution that allows users to collect audio andvisual media elements through an online experience and then assemblethem into a multi-media narrative with an online media elementcollection and use system, preferably with a text-to-speech narrationgenerator.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The system and method according to the invention is a media editor thatallows users to manipulate and edit visual and audio media elements thatare stored on a server. Thus the user can select, alter and order themedia elements, but does not download the media elements to the user'scomputer in a form that can be used independently of the authoringapplication.

A media aggregator and authoring application allows users to combinetext, images and video into their own multi-media narratives. The systemaccording to the invention includes the following components:

Media Aggregator

The media aggregator is a tool for users to collect text, sound, image,video and other media elements that they encounter on certain web sites.These media elements are not saved to the user's computer, but areflagged by the media aggregator and stored on the media server. Thisallows access to the media elements from any computer with access to themedia server, and allows for protection of copyrights, as the mediaelement does not leave its original server other than to the cache ofthe authoring application in user's browser. When the user exits theirbrowser, the cache file containing the multi-media narrative or mediaelements is deleted.

Authoring Application

The authoring application is an application that enables users to buildmulti-media narratives, such as online movies. The authoring applicationruns entirely from a web page in the user's browser, as the mediaelements, and the finished multi-media narrative, are stored on aserver.

Text-to-Speech Application

A feature of the system is the use of a text-to-speech (TTS) applicationthat enables text to be converted to an audible speech file. A usertypes in narration into their web page using the authoring applicationwhich then uses the TTS application to convert the text into an audiomedia element (with optional subtitles) which can then be dragged anddropped into the multi-media narrative. As the TTS application is hostedon the media server, voices (male, female, etc.) can be added based onthe user's needs and license requirements. The TTS application allowsthe audio media element to be stored on the media server and replayed asoften as needed as different people can view the created multi-medianarrative.

Ease of Use

To operate the authoring application, users need only the skill level todrag, drop and order media elements along a story line to make their ownmulti-media narrative. Without installing any software on their computer(except for perhaps plug-ins), or downloading any media element, userscan access a movie creation system via a web browser, assemble moviesfrom collected media elements, generate narrative audio and save acreated multi-media narrative.

A method for a user to edit a multi-media narrative is provide,including the steps of using a browser, selecting a media element on aserver for inclusion in the multi-media narrative; said media elementstored in a cache of said browser, inaccessible to said user; selectinga position within said multi-media narrative to position said mediaelement; and inserting said media element within said multi-medianarrative. The multi-media narrative is stored on said server, and whendisplayed in said browser, is stored in said cache of said browser,inaccessible to said user. The media element may be an audio mediaelement, generated from text provided by the user.

The multi-media application, including said media element, is displayedwithin said browser after said media element is inserted within saidmulti-media narrative. The media element is selected from a list ofmedia elements within said browser. The user selects a plurality ofmedia elements for said list of media elements, at least a portion ofsaid plurality of media elements stored on a second server.

A system for editing a multi-media narrative is provided, including anauthoring application for inserting a media element within themulti-media narrative; said authoring application executable within abrowser; said media element stored within a cache of said browser,inaccessible to a user of said browser; a database on a server forstorage of said media element and said multi-media narrative; and a textto speech converter for converting text input by the user into a mediaelement. Preferably a collection manager is used for managing aplurality of media elements, and the multi-media narrative, when playedwithin said browser, is stored in a cache of said browser, inaccessibleto the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the overall system according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the communications links between themedia server and the user's computer;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the media serveraccording to the invention

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the communications between the mediaaggregator and the authoring application;

FIG. 5 is a view of an embodiment of the preview option as seen in theuser's browser;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the process by which a user cuts amulti-media narrative;

FIG. 7 is an embodiment of the appearance of the authoring applicationas seen by the user; and

FIG. 8 is an embodiment of the appearance of the media aggregator asaccessed by the user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this document, the following terms have the following meanings:

-   “browser” means a computer program used for accessing sites or    information on a network (such as the World Wide Web);-   “computer” means a programmable electronic device that can store,    retrieve, and process data, and communicate the data to other    computers;-   “Internet” means an electronic communications network that connects    computer networks and organizational computer facilities around the    world, and includes the world wide web;-   “multi-media narrative” means an ordered sequence of media elements    to generate a story or narrative; and-   “server” means a computer in a network that is used to provide    services to other computers in the network. A server may be software    running on a computer.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, in an embodiment of the invention, computer10, operated by a user accesses the Internet 20, or another wide areanetwork, using a software application running on computer 10, such as abrowser 80. Computer 10, through the Internet, accesses media server 30.Media server 30 is a conventional server, and may be on or morecomputers, or software running on a computer. Media server 30 is incommunication with media database 40, which is a database storing mediaelements, multi-media narratives and other information relating toauthoring application 60 and the user.

As seen in FIG. 1, three components of media server 30 include: mediaaggregator 50, authoring application 60, and text-to-speech application70. Media aggregator 50, authoring application 60, and text-to-speechapplication 70 are each separate, stand alone computer programs whichcollaborate to provide the functionality of the system according to theinvention. As seen in FIG. 2, TTS application 70 may be run on aseparate TTS server 100, in which case TTS queue 90 arranges forcommunication between media server 30 and TTS server 100. Mediaaggregator node 110 communicates between media aggregator 50 andauthoring application 60.

Each component is described in detail below.

Authoring Application

Authoring application 60 is preferably a cross-platform applicationencoded using software such as Macromedia Director™ in an applicationsuch as Shockwave™. Authoring application 60 can be operated in anybrowser 80 (perhaps requiring a plug-in). If browser 80 does not have anecessary plug-in it may be automatically downloaded for the user'scomputer and authoring application 60, on supported computers, can beused immediately without restarting the browser. Alternatively, browser80 may prompt the user using browser 80's standard plug-in detectioncode.

A feature of authoring application 60 is that it provides thefunctionality of a normal software program in a web deliverablecomponent. Security available through browser 80 restricts whichresources the embedded web components can access (i.e. the user canaccess). For example, most users should be unable to access media server30's host file system or operating system. Therefore, all media elementmanagement, manipulation and generation is accomplished remotely frommedia server 30.

Authoring application 60 is preferably written in software such asDirector™, with minimal necessary plug-ins. Authoring application 60includes a configuration component, a communication component, a mediaelement loading component and a user interface.

Authoring application 60 communicates with both browser 80, and mediaaggregator node 110 and TTS queue 90 in media server 30. In a preferredembodiment, authoring application 60 uses the internal HTTP loadingabilities of a plug-in such as Shockwave™ to perform a remote procedurecall communication to media aggregator 50 and TTS application 70, and totemporarily store media elements in its cache as it operates withinbrowser 80. The loading of settings and content URLs is performed viaHTTP POST upon startup of authoring application 60. Authentication isperformed internally within the post. The returned media elements ormulti-media narratives are parsed within authoring application 60 andseen by the user in browser 80.

FIG. 4 shows the communication process between authoring application 60,media aggregator 50 and database 40. In the first step authoringapplication 60 sends a message to media aggregator 50 for a specificmedia element (step 1). Media aggregator 50 extracts the media elementfrom media database 40 (step 2), and the media element is returned tomedia aggregator 50 (step 3). Media aggregator then formats the mediaelement (step 4) and returns it to authoring application 60 (step 5),which will parse the element (step 6).

In the case authoring application 60 requires a media element availableto the user, but not stored on database 40 (i.e. the media element is onanother server), the load request is sent to media aggregator 50 (step7), where the media element is fetched from a local file system orwebsite (step 8) and then returned to authoring application 60 (step 9).

The media elements are preferably loaded via the standard HTTP GETprotocol. If narration is created by the user, the text is offloaded toTTS application 70 on TTS server 100 via an HTTP request. The URL of thegenerated audio is then returned to authoring application 60. The savingof a resulting multi-media narrative is sent via HTTP POST to the mediaaggregator 50.

The media element is encoded in the HTTP commands, as is metadataassociated with the element (such as captions and icons) and adescription as to how the media elements are to be used.

Media Aggregator

Media aggregator 50 is based on media server 30 and functions as aserver for authoring application 60 and browser 80. It performs thefollowing functions: it stores media links for a user; it adds,retrieves, updates and deletes media links for a given user; it storesmulti-media narrative data files created by a user in authoringapplication 60; and it performs proxying services for media elements notdirectly accessible by authoring application 60.

Media aggregator 50 accesses media database 40. Media database 40 is aconventional database, for example, a MySQL database, running on mediaserver 30 (which in a preferred embodiment is a Sun Solaris X1 server,but other servers may be used). Database 40 is accessed via two softwarecomponents: a collection manager 120, which is a multi-user web pagebased manager for managing a user's collected media elements; and an RPCstyle access layer for authoring application 60 users. In a preferredembodiment of the invention, both components are written in PHP 4.3.2using object oriented code, but could be written in other languages. Thecode is run in process (such as mod_php4) in media server 30. Authoringapplication 60 stores and accesses links, text and authenticationinformation (about a user) in database 40. Media elements are managedvia collection manager 120. Preferably collection manager 120 is run onmedia server 30, but alternatively another server could be used.Collection manager 120 has an administration level area for managinguser media element collections and managing media element files thatreside on media server 30. Collection manager 120 also has a user-levelarea for managing the user's collection of media elements.

In an alternative embodiment, media aggregator 50 uses links to mediaelement files that are on media server 30. Collections of media elementsare built up as links between a user's media element collection and thelocal media element identifications. In this embodiment, links to mediaelements are posted to database 40 by users as they traverse the contentof another web site (presumably at a separate server). These posts areprovided to database 40 via HTTP connections when the user presses a“collect” button (or uses a right click menu option) while at the website containing the selected media element. In a preferred embodiment,the system according to the invention accepts links to external mediaelements that can be accessed via a proxy. This proxy is necessary asauthoring application 60 is a web application. Collection manager 120handles this process.

Typically, browser security constraints limit authoring application 60to making connections back to the server from which the authoringapplication 60 was downloaded. Hence, in a preferred embodiment, mediaelements are proxied from other servers. This is accomplished by URLtranslation proxying, in which the URL to the media element isre-encoded to provide authoring application 60 a location that is basedon the same base URL as the server the authoring application 60 wasdownloaded from.

The Text-To-Speech Application

As seen in FIG. 3, TTS application 70 is preferably a collection ofsoftware components, one of which is TTS speech generator 200, such asthat provided under the trade-mark ElanSpeech's Sayso Telecom, but otherTTS speech generators may be used. A feature of TTS application 70 isthat it can disseminate generated speech to software clients, such asauthoring application 60, using the Internet.

TTS speech generator 200 outputs raw pulse-code-modulated (PCM) data(typically meant for telephony cards). Such data is too large forInternet delivery, and is in an unusable format for most browsers. Thisdata is returned to client 220, and the data is converted by formattranslator 210 from raw pulse-code audio data into a format usable byauthoring application 60. This data is then processed via compressorapplication 230 to reduce the data size and preferably to convert thefile into MP3 (MPEG-2 Layer 3) format or the like.

TTS generator 200 creates the raw PCM data at the speed it would benaturally be spoken. Therefore, threader 230 manages the conversion andstorage of the data to MP3 format as it is created on TTS server 100. Ina preferred embodiment, faster-than real-time audio is produced,converted and stored in database 40 on media server 30 for transfer toauthoring application 60. The resultant media element from TTSapplication 70 is connected to media aggregator 50 for management in thecollection manager 120.

Speech generator 200 is preferably decoupled from threader 230, and theaudio translation and compression pipelines to provide scalability. MoreTTS speech generators may be needed than processing servers as users areadded.

Uses of the System

FIGS. 5 through 8 show the way in which a user can operate authoringapplication 60 to create a multi-media narrative. In the example shownin FIGS. 7 and 8, authoring application 60 is designed for use as aninstructional tool, using the historical lessons about Samuel deChamplain and his first contact with the First Nations people of NorthAmerica. Of course, this is purely an example and the system accordingto the invention can be used with media elements and multi-medianarratives covering any topic.

FIG. 7 displays an embodiment of a window 300 showing the authoringapplication as seen by the user in their browser 80. Title bar 310 showsthe trade-mark associated with the product (in the example“MovieStudio”) and the title of the particular tool for which authoringapplication 60 is being used (in this example, “First Contact”). Thisuser interface can be easily “re-skinned” to provide a look-and-feelthat matches the content's theme.

Visual bar 320, audio bar 330 and music bar 340 show the media elementsof the multi-media narrative already selected in the order in which theywill be presented. Each media element is represented graphically usingan image which displays the time taken by such element. Media elementsmay be dragged to this bar from the “Clip Bin” 350 above, and may bedragged and dropped to reorder or remove media elements from themulti-media narrative. The bars 320, 330, 340 graphically show theoverlap between visual media elements (moving images or stills) andaudio or music media elements (which may overlap). Audio media elementsmay include sound effects or narration (possibly provided from TTSapplication 70).

TTS application 70 is accessed through the “Speechaliser” 360. Text maybe entered by the user in space 380, who may then select the “Converttext to Speech” button 370. This causes an audio media element file tobe placed adjacent to the space 380, which can then be “dragged” to clipbin 350 or audio bar 330.

Clip bin 350 is where media elements are shown in a graphical format sothat they can be accessed by a user to add to the multi-media narrative.In a preferred embodiment of the invention, when the user first operatesauthoring application 60, clip bin 350 will already contain severalmedia elements. The user can add media elements to the clip bin beforeloading the authoring application 60 by clicking on buttons or textlinks stating “Collect Item” when browsing a web page. These collectedmedia elements are added to the user's list of media elements in mediaaggregator 50 which are stored in database 40. Upon loading theauthoring application 60 an HTTP GET call is sent to the MediaAggregator 50 to determine if any additional media elements are to beadded to the clip bin on initial loading of the authoring application60.

Display tool 390 is used to show the multi-media narrative. While themedia elements can be previewed in clip bin 350, the entire multi-medianarrative is viewed in display tool 390. Furthermore, options may beavailable in display tool 390 to pause, stop and play the multi-medianarrative, to show subtitles generated by the TTS application, and toadjust the volume of the narrative. Also, the user may add text herethat will be displayed over the video media element.

Other features available include an options menu and a help menu. Theuser may save a completed multi-media narrative (it will be saved indatabase 40), and send a link to such multi-media narrative to others(if access is granted by the user), so that, for example, in aneducational context, the multi-media narrative can be graded, or can beused in a presentation.

In an alternative embodiment, modification of media elements is possibleusing media editors. In this way media elements may be shortened, sloweddown, or certain visual effects added. For example, FIG. 6 shows theschematic of a system allowing parsing of media elements. A mediaelement is imported and a user can flag in and out points for the mediaelement from within that imported media element, load the amended mediaelement into the clip bin and then select the media element for use inthe multi-media narrative.

From window 300, users can access the collection manager 120 usingwindow 400. Window 400 allows the user to see all of the media elementsthey have collected and are available in the clip bin 350. Each mediaelement is listed in media element list 420 showing the name of each ofmedia element, the type of the media element (text, image, video,audio), and administrative actions, such as ‘View’, ‘Delete’, and‘Download’.

A user, by selecting the name of the object, or the ‘View’ optiondisplays the media element below in viewing space 440. When the userselects ‘Delete’ the media element is removed from clip bin 350. Ifenabled by the content provider, selecting ‘Download’ provides the usera downloadable version of the media element for storage on the user'shard drive. In the example shown in FIG. 8, none of the listed mediaelements are available for download.

Typically, media elements are downloaded to the user's computer whendisplayed, but are stored in the caching system of authoring application60, which is inaccessible to the user and which is automatically deletedupon exiting of browser 80 on computer 10. Therefore, media elements arenot permanently stored on computer 10, but are stored in the cache asneeded in order to play the media element or multi-media narrative in areal-time manner on computer 10. These media elements stored in thecache are not extractable. As such, if a content provider does wish tomake it's media elements available for download by the user, such asgraphics or text for a student's report or movies for a PowerPointpresentation, that content provider may flag the media elements on itsserver as downloadable and the user may activate the downloading of suchmedia elements using collection manager 120.

Below each listing are two additional action buttons: ‘Delete All,’ and‘Download All’ (if enabled by the content provider). Selecting ‘DeleteAll’ deletes all of the objects in the clip bin, and ‘Download All’downloads everything.

The media server will allow users to collect media elements for use intheir multi-media narratives. Such elements may be marked, for examplewith a button beside them having a Collector Icon and text thatindicates the element is downloadable, for example by saying ‘Collectthis Item,’ or ‘Collect Movie’.

Once a media element is “collected” by the user, it is displayed, afterthe next launching of the authoring application 60, in clip bin 350,where the media element can be placed into the multi-media narrative bythe user. In a preferred embodiment only users offering propercredentials (for example user ID and password) are able to collect mediaelements. In such an embodiment, users must login with a user ID inorder to obtain a collection of media elements. Collected media elementsare stored in database 40 in association with the user's profile. Ifauthoring application 60 does not require a user ID, it is preferablyusable only with pre-populated media elements, and the collection optionmay not be available.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show how a user can edit a multi-media narrative (in thisexample a movie) using authoring application 60. Users can load theserver 30 based narratives into authoring application 60 through mediaaggregator 50 and then to clip bin 350, or alternatively directly toclip bin 350. As seen in FIG. 5, the user is presented a list ofmulti-media narratives 510 (referred to as “Movies” in this example).These multi-media narratives can be viewed in viewer 530. The user canthen flag in and out points within that multi-media narrative forinsertion of a media element, loads the media element into a viewer andthen saves the media element to collection for use in the multi-medianarrative. Preferably, this can be done with any multi-media narrativefound on the Internet.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the process from the user's perspective.In step 1, the user begins the cutting process. In step 2, the user'slist 510 contains multi-media narratives for selection by the user (step3). In step 2 a the selected multi-media narrative is loaded into theviewer 530. In the example shown, the user has selected a multi-medianarrative entitled “Wildlife: Gators”. The user then selects in and outpoints (step 3 a) for a new media element using authoring system 60 anda media element for placement. The new multi-media narrative (referredto as a “cut clip”) is loaded into the “preview cut” viewer 550 (step 3b). The user can then view the new multi-media narrative (step 4) andconfirm acceptance or rejection of the new cut of the multi-medianarrative (step 5). If the new cut is rejected, the user can repeat theprocess by selecting new in and out points (step 3).

If the new multi-media narrative is confirmed, the narrative is saved tothe user's collection (step 6), which replaces the previous multi-medianarrative with the new. The user can then restart the process at his orher leisure (step 7).

The user can also use the preceding process to delete media elements (orportions thereof) from multi-media narratives.

Therefore, the system according to the invention allows users to makethe following actions:

-   1. Users can access a web page and start creating their own    multi-media narratives, such as movies.-   2. Users can collect media elements from web sites and use those    media element in their multi-media narratives, without using    computer 10's hard-drive.-   3. The authoring application 60 allows narrative text, either typed    in, or collected as text from a website, be converted into audible    speech and used in a multi-media narrative.

Furthermore, preferably TTS application 70 is a general system that canbe used to provide narrative audio to software agents on the Internet.

The method or system described above may be implemented by acomputer-readable medium having recorded thereon statements andinstructions for execution by a computer to carry out the method.Furthermore, the method may be implemented by a computer programproduct, comprising a memory having computer readable code embodiedtherein for execution by a CPU. In yet another embodiment, the methodaccording to the invention may be implemented as a carrier waveembodying a computer data signal representing sequences of statementsand instructions which, when executed by a processor cause the processorto perform the method.

Although the particular preferred embodiments of the invention have beendisclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognizedthat variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus lie withinthe scope of the present invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for a user to edit a movie,comprising: (a) generating an audio media element from text provided bythe user and a voice selected by the user; (b) storing the audio mediaelement on the server for selection by the user; (c) using a browser,selecting the audio media element on the server for inclusion in themovie; said audio media element associated with a download flag; saidaudio media element stored in a cache of said browser, unavailable forsaving by said user when the download flag is not set by a contentprovider and available for download by said user when the download flagis set by the content provider; the audio media element represented tothe user as a image displaying the time taken by the audio mediaelement; (d) selecting a position within said movie to position saidaudio media element; (e) inserting said audio media element within saidmovie by placing the audio media element on an audio bar of the movie;(f) using the browser, selecting a video media element on a server forinclusion in the movie; said video media element associated with aseparate download flag; said video media element stored in a cache ofsaid browser, unavailable for saving by said user when the download flagis not set by a content provider and available for download by said userwhen the download flag is set by the content provider; the video mediaelement represented to the user as a image displaying the time taken bythe video media element; (g) selecting a position within said movie toposition said video media element; and (h) inserting said video mediaelement within said movie by placing the video media element on a visualbar of the movie, wherein during steps (c) through (h) said visual barand said audio bar are both displayed to said user and said visual baris aligned with said audio bar to display overlap between video mediaelements on said visual bar with audio media elements on said audio bar.2. The method of claim 1 wherein said movie is stored on said server,and when displayed in said browser, is stored in said cache of saidbrowser, inaccessible to said user.
 3. The method of claim 2 whereinsaid audio media element is generated from text provided by the user anda voice selected by the user, said audio media element, aftergeneration, being stored on said server for selection by said user. 4.The method of claim 3 wherein said movie, including said audio and videomedia elements, is displayed within said browser after said audio andvideo media elements are inserted within said movie.
 5. The method ofclaim 4 wherein said audio and video media elements are selected from alist of media elements within said browser.
 6. The method of claim 5wherein said user selects a plurality of media elements for said list ofmedia elements, at least a portion of said plurality of media elementsstored on a second server.
 7. A system for editing a movie comprising:a) a text to speech converter for converting text input into an audiomedia element, and b) an authoring application for inserting the audiomedia element within the movie; said authoring application executablewithin a browser; said audio media element associated with a downloadflag; said audio media element stored within a cache of said browser,unavailable for saving by a user of said browser when the download flagis not set by a content provider and available for download by said userwhen the download flag is set by the content provider; said audio mediaelement represented as an image displaying the time taken to play theaudio media element; said audio media element insertable, by the user,in an audio or visual bar; wherein said visual bar is aligned with saidaudio bar to display overlap between media elements on said visual barwith media elements on said audio bar, and when using said authoringapplication, said visual bar and said audio bar are both displayed; c) adatabase on a server for storage of said audio media element and saidmovie; and d) a media aggregator for retrieving stored media elementsfrom said server for said authoring application, said media aggregatorformatting said media elements for said authoring application.
 8. Thesystem of claim 7 further comprising a collection manager for managing aplurality of media elements.
 9. The system of claim 8 wherein the movie,when played within said browser, is stored in a cache of said browser,inaccessible to the user.
 10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:(d. 1) shortening the duration of the video media element.
 11. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising: (d. 1) shortening the duration ofthe audio media element.
 12. The system of claim 7, further comprising:d. a media editor for editing the audio media element prior to inclusionin the movie.
 13. The system of claim 8 wherein said collection managerallows user to collect links to media elements, and post said links tosaid database.
 14. The system of claim 13 wherein said media elementsare accessed via a proxy server.
 15. The system of claim 12 furthercomprising a music bar in which audio media elements are insertable,said music bar aligned with said audio bar and said visual bar.
 16. Thesystem of claim 13 wherein said authoring application displays to auser, said music bar, said audio bar and said visual bar; said database,from which said user may select media elements, and said movie, whichsaid user may view.
 17. The system of claim 1 wherein said user ispresented with a display containing said media elements for insertion,and said movie, simultaneously.
 18. The system of claim 17 wherein saiduser is further presented with a music bar aligned with said visual barand said audio bar, into which said audio media elements are insertable.19. The system of claim 18, wherein said user may view a media elementbefore insertion into one of said bars.
 20. The system of claim 19wherein said user may stop, pause, fast-forward or play said movie. 21.The system of claim 7 wherein said media element generated by said textto speech converter is in a voice selectable by said user.